MLTI ambassador Stephanie McGrder tells Ellsworth board AI literacy must be taught, not assumed

Stephanie McGrder, an MLTI ambassador who spent the past two years with the Department of Education, told the Ellsworth Public Schools board on Wednesday that artificial intelligence and broader digital literacy should be deliberately taught to students and staff rather than assumed as an innate skill.

"AI is already here," McGrder said in a roughly hour-long presentation the board scheduled as a workshop item. "Whether we're ready for it or not, whether we want it to be true or not, AI is already here. The real question is, are we prepared for it?" She framed AI literacy as part of digital literacy—alongside information literacy, data privacy and digital ethics—and urged keeping "the human in the loop."

McGrder presented statistics she said show near-universal student exposure to AI but limited instruction: "92% of students use AI at least once a week," she said, and "only 19% of K–12 students have received AI literacy instruction." She added that many teachers are using AI tools while a majority have not received formal training: "71% as of last month have never received AI training," she said, arguing that one-off professional development is inadequate.

The presentation focused on practical classroom uses McGrder supports—using AI to translate materials, produce differentiated lesson levels or act as a tutoring tool when a teacher is not available—while warning against allowing AI to replace students' learning. "If we let AI do the easy tasks for us and let AI do our learning for us, that's when the robots win," she said. McGrder also quoted an Education Week example in which a student told researchers that AI "still can't replace human judgment, especially that of their teachers," citing Josie Baker's view that teachers provide emotional and pedagogical context AI cannot.

McGrder outlined grade-band guidance she described as recommendations rather than mandates: limited or no direct AI use in PK–2, instruction to recognize AI and its limits in early elementary grades, and more advanced, scaffolded uses in middle and high school. She pointed board members to local resources, including the district's administrative AI guidance and the Department of Education "AI roadmap," and offered to connect the board with Department of Education emerging-technology specialist Nicole Davis, who McGrder said developed a framework teachers could use to keep students "the human in the loop."

Board members pressed McGrder on implementation. When asked about environmental impacts from data centers, she responded that impacts depend on how centers are built and managed and encouraged the community to seek responsible practices and recycling measures. On district rollout, McGrder said implementation will depend on budget, staffing (she referenced technology lead Holly Libby and librarians as possible supports), and creative scheduling for professional development: "There's no perfect or right way to do it," she said, adding it will look different across districts.

Student board member Bo described mixed student practices in Ellsworth classrooms: some students use AI tools for small tasks such as synonyms or practice quizzes, while others "will just write an entire essay" or use AI to answer tests. Bo said teacher education helps staff spot and address misuse.

McGrder pointed to broader policy movement—European and U.S. initiatives, an emerging White House task force on AI education, and Maine-level proposals she said are under discussion—as evidence that AI literacy is likely to move from optional to expected practice. She recommended ongoing, iterative professional development and suggested the district incorporate AI literacy into existing strategic objectives rather than treating it as a separate one-off program.

The board thanked McGrder and concluded the workshop with no formal vote or motion recorded. McGrder left resources and offered to facilitate contact with Nicole Davis for follow-up training and guidance.